7/2/15 Pool Inspired Makeup

I got this baby blue eyeliner randomly while grocery shopping, and it inspired me to create this super fun, pool inspired look! Most of these products are waterproof, so feel free to dunk that head under and look good while doing it! Here is everything I used:

1) Face and Eyeliner

I started with my usual face routine: Maybelline’s Master Primer Blur+Illuminate and Dream Fresh BB Cream, topping it off with Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Pressed Powder. Both the BB Cream and Powder have SPF in it, which is a plus because that saves me one less step sunscreen wise. Then, I used Rimmel London’s Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Light Blue. This color is so pretty and vibrant, which inspired me to do this whole look in the first place. Even though I rarely go under the water, it is nice that it is waterproof and a long lasting wear. I winged my liner for this look, but just lining your waterline or putting a bit in the inner corners of your eye could really jazz up your everyday makeup!

2) Lashes and Brows

I did my usual lash routine: curling my lashes and applying Maybelline’s Rocket Volum Express in Black. I also did my usual routine for my brows using Anastasia’s Perfect Brow Pencil in Light Blonde, but made them more defined and longer lasting with Maybelline’s Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara in Blonde. The brow gel ensures that the kid doing cannonballs two feet away from you won’t mess up your brow game.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of my lip color, which is Revlon’s Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious. Although not waterproof, it stays on perfectly even in the messiest of meals so I think it can handle a few splashes.

Overall, I think this is a super fun look and would be awesome paired with the trendy cobalt blue color that is everywhere these days. Let me know in the comments if this is a look you would try!

6/19/15 Maybelline Colossally Chaotic Mascara Review

Have you guys been seeing this ad everywhere you go like me? You almost can’t escape it. After keep seeing it on TV and in magazines over and over again, I decided I would try it out and see if it lived up to its hype!

Clumpy lashes are usually not what we all aim to have, but this ad makes clumpy look edgy and fun. Very different and innovative concept and, to my knowledge, no other brands have something similar to this. So, let’s see how it works!

The packaging and overall appearance of the bottle/wand is super cute and fun! The back of the packaging shows how to apply it properly to get the effect that’s seen on the ad. First, you apply as you normally would. Then, take the brush, hold it vertically, and sweep side to side. Seems super easy!

The wand itself has a clumpy feel to it, but definitely seems like it will do its job. However, the image of the wand in the instructions on how to apply appears to be slightly angled at the end, which is not the case for the actual brush. I am not sure if that would affect the results in any way, but let’s see!

First picture above is with only one eye done for comparison, bottom with both done. Overall, I think it works. Am I super impressed by it? Not really. I know ads are photoshopped and done up, but I don’t think there is any way to achieve that look with just this mascara. However, I think its a fun concept and if executed better (maybe having the brush angled like it is on the back of the packaging?) it could have been super fun. I’m going to experiment how it looks with more makeup on and see if eyeshadow and eyeliner make it look better. Maybe my opinion will change then lol.

What do you guys think? Are you kind of let down like I was? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

6/18/15 New Hair and OOTD

Five inches of blonde hair on the salon floor today and I cannot be happier about it! I don’t think I will ever go back to long hair again after this result. In fact, I think it will be easier to style than my long hair. I’m really glad I didn’t chicken out at the last minute like usual lol. Big shoutout/love to my hairdresser Krystal because she did an amazing job!

However, it is important to note that no matter how cute your hair is, you still need a cute outfit to go with it:

Top: PacSun

Necklace: Express

Shorts: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Macy’s

(If you haven’t noticed, this grey/maroon color outfit with matching lip has become a favorite thing of mine)

6/5/15 Neutral 90’s Inspired Makeup

I have been obsessed with this makeup look lately, so I’d thought I would share it with you guys! It is super easy and versatile! And a great excuse to bring back the brown toned lip from the 90s.

1) Primer

I prep my face with two primers: Urban Decay’s eyeshadow primer and Maybelline’s MasterPrime Blur + Illuminate. This keeps my makeup lasting as long as physically possible.

2) Foundation/Powder

Once my primer sets, I put Physician’s Formula’s Pressed Powder on my face. Usually, I would switch this out for BB cream or an actual foundation, but lately I have not been needing that much coverage.

3) Eyeshadow

Yes, I own One Direction makeup and yes I actually use it. This is actually one of my favorite mini palettes and I use it frequently. For this look, I use Back For You as a base, Change My Mind from the mid eye out to the edges, and C’Mon C’Mon on my crease.

4) Eyebrows and Eyelashes

I actually don’t put mascara on in this look, opting for just curling my lashes with a curler. Trying this look out for the first time, I felt that my usual black mascara over powered it. Brown mascara would be great if you feel like you need something.  For my eyebrows, I use Maybelline’s Brow Drama Gel in Blonde and fill in the gaps/shape them more with the Anastasia Perfect Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde.

5) Lips

OBSESSED with this color and combo. Rimmel’s Lasting Finish lip pencil in Natural and Kate Moss for Rimmel Matte Lipstick in shade number 14 give the perfect everyday color to your lips.

–

So that’s it! Five easy steps. This might be my new go to look, as I haven’t picked up my gel liner for my usual cat eye in weeks! Very shocking. Maybe change is good.

5/24/15 Skin Care Products I Swear By

With the sun starting to come out, skin is a top priority for most. Whether its just putting on sunscreen or an intense mask/cleanser/moisture regimen, it is important to take care of it. So I thought I would share my favorite products/routine with you guys!

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Gel Cleanser

I use this everyday, once in the morning and once at night. This is great because it is gentle on skin while penetrating deep into pores to get rid of sweat and all that other disgusting stuff on your face. I have noticed that it prevents annoying pimples that are starting to form from popping up, which is super cool. I received it as a gift from a friend who gets it from a local spa, but I’m sure it’s available online or at Sephora.

Peter Thomas Roth Peeling Gel Exfoliant

Pretty sure anyone that knows anything about skin care has heard about Peter Thomas Roth and all of his awesome stuff, but this exfoliant is truly worth talking about. Once you rub it in, you can visibly see and feel dead skin cells coming off. Very weird but hey, at least you can see it’s working! I use this around once a week, as it is kind of rough on the skin and mine happens to be super sensitive. This is available everywhere, but at Sephora you can get a free mini sample of it to take home.

Peter Thomas Roth Laser Free Retexturizer Exfoliating Scrub

Another great product by Peter Thomas Roth that works just as well as the Peeling Exfoliant with a more deep clean. This dark red scrub takes stuff you didn’t even know was in your pores right out and leaves the skin feeling new and firm. I tend to use this in place of or when I run out of the peeling exfoliant. Once again, Sephora’s free samples are the bomb.

Boscia Intensifying Moisture Pack

My skin dries out really easily from the pool or just harsh windy weather, making a good moisturizer key. In the past, I have had really bad luck with moisturizers irritating my skin. At one point, I had a swollen red patch about the size of two quarters on the left side of my face because of one moisturizer! This Boscia is vegan, made out of friendly ingredients, and the only moisturizer that hasn’t left my skin burning! Unfortunately, Sephora stopped carrying the brand so the only way to get this now is online.

Sunscreen

This is an obvious thing to do if you want to take care of your skin. Regardless of whether your makeup has SPF in it, dermatologists recommend wearing at least SPF 30 everyday, sunny or not sunny. Granted, I haven’t followed that recommendation every single day of my life, but I try my best! I like the baby sunscreen sticks to put under my makeup and for hard to reach/easy to burn spots like the shoulders.

5/3/15- Ulta Haul

Got some super good stuff at Ulta today! Also learned that if you have a rewards card with them, make sure you ask how many points you have and if you can use them. They won’t tell you if you have points, but having just 300 points can get $6 off your purchase and points add up fast! Retail secrets aside, here is what I got:

  Ulta brand Super Blender Sponge

I have been seeing these in every Youtube tutorial lately, so I thought I would pick one up! Whether its concealer or foundation you are applying, this is supposed to be the tool to use for blending and achieving an airbrushed look.

Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips in Riviera Strip

I have been looking for something new to contour with and my last bronzer was one shade and a bit too orangey on my super pale skin. I’m hoping this five-shade bronzer-eyeshadow-blush quad will do the trick! I think this will be nice on any skin tone, but especially for pale people like me with pink undertones that don’t mesh well with typical deep brown/orange bronzer.

Physician’s Formula Translucent Mineral Wear Pressed Powder

I ran out of my usual powder, so I decided to try something new and I gravitated towards this! Translucent and super smooth, this gives just the right amount of coverage, whether wearing alone or on top of foundation. I plan on using this when I need a little extra pizazz on top of my usual BB cream. Also the SPF 30 is a major plus!

IT Brushes for Ulta Velvet Luxe Collection

Confession time: These are the first super good brushes that I didn’t get for free in some sort of package ever. But I am so glad I got them. From the packaging to the brush itself, these brushes are fabulous. There is a full set you can buy, but I just needed a good eyeshadow and contour/blush/powder brush. Super soft and easy to clean, these are a must have.

Maybelline Brow Drama in Blonde

Who doesn’t want Cara Delevinge’s signature full eyebrows? As a dedicated brow pencil user, I wanted to see if a tinted brow gel would make any difference, so I picked this up. This fills in your brows perfectly in just one swipe. However, it is a bit dark, but that is how I wanted it to look. If you want more natural looking brows, I would suggest going a shade lighter, but that might be impossible if you have blonde eyebrows like myself.

Ulta Brand Makeup Brush Cleaner

An essential everyone should have to keep their super cool IT brushes clean and germ free. Enough said.

Katy Perry for Eyelure Lashes in Banging Beauty

Fake lashes are possibly the greatest invention known to man. However, sometimes you don’t want your eyelids to be heavy with sparkly, giant lashes like I have. So, I got these to be my new naturalish, everyday lashes. Just enough volume but not overtop, these are my new staple.

4/10/15 Daily Makeup Routine

Granted, I don’t wear winged eyeliner everyday, but it is safe to say that 99% of the time I am. So I guess you could say I wear winged eyeliner everyday.

Anyways, here are the products I use on a daily basis, for the most part.

Step 1: Primers

 Primers are a necessity for me. From eyeshadow to foundation, my makeup would definitely not last as long without them. I use the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion everyday, and you can tell a big difference in pigment and longevity in eyeliner and eyeshadow when you don’t use it. As for my face, depending on the day/what my skin looks like, I use either NYX’s Shine Killer or NARS’ Radiance Enhancing Pro Primer. For a more matte look, I grab the NYX primer. No shine and flawless, pore-less skin guaranteed. For when it is sunny out or I just need a little something on my face, I go for the NARS. With SPF 30, this is a lifesaver for paper white skinned people like me.

Step 2: BB Cream

I haven’t used actual foundation in quite a while, probably around a year or so. No matter what brand or type I tried, I always felt like I had too much on. Then I discovered BB Cream, particularly Maybelline’s Dream Fresh, and that combined with my primers gave me the face I have always wanted. Lightly tinted, moisturizing and with SPF 30, you can’t go wrong with BB Cream.

Step 3: Eyeshadow

Stila’s Into The Light Palette is my go to for everyday makeup. Similar to Urban Decay’s NAKED series, it is full on neutral colors, some sparkly and some matte. As you can see in the photo, I clearly use the skin tone colored shadow named Bare quite often. It is the perfect base for the classic winged eyeliner.

Step 4: Eyeliner

This was listed as my #1 eyeliner ever in one of my earlier posts. From just lining the waterline or for making wings that reach your eyebrows, Maybelline’s MasterGraphic eyeliner is hands down the best product ever. I discovered it fairly recently, but from the angled tip to the super pigmented black, I grew to love it very quickly.

Step 5: Mascara

 Without an eyelash curler, I’d be nothing. Also, I just realized how many Maybelline products I use on a daily basis. Kinda crazy. Anyways, this Rocket Volum Express mascara gives you volume without clumping. I found that this was better than CoverGirl’s LashBlast, which was a long time staple of mine. With a big, fat wand combined with the eyelash curler, your lashes will be longer than a line at Disney.

Step 6: Eyebrows

Anastasia and eyebrows go hand in hand. I have very light blonde eyebrows, and sometimes they are so light you can’t see them if you put the flash on in pictures. Not cute. So, this Perfect Brow Pencil is a life saver. Filling brows in after brushing them with the brush at the end will gives me perfectly filled in and shaped brows.

Step 7: Lips

This all comes down to which matches my outfit. Sometimes, just a swipe of Chap Stick is good and I’m ready to go. Otherwise, I gravitate towards neutral and light pink colors. Sephora’s Rogue Shine is one of my favorites. The rosy pink goes with literally anything. Rimmel London’s Show Off in Nude Eclipse is great for me because it doesn’t wash me out (as I am super pale and it is extremely hard to find good nude colors for pale skin that don’t make you look like you have been dead for 100 years) and it is super shiny, complimenting my usual matte eyeliner and face.

–

What’s your makeup routine? Do you have products you use everyday no matter what? Leave a comment below! I’d love to know 🙂

4/6/15 VS PINK Haul

So Victoria’s Secret Reward Cards means me spending money on cute stuff I’ve had my eye on since it first dropped in stores. I would love to be one of the lucky winners of the $500 off your purchase cards, but like most people, I got the run-of-the-mill $10 cards. Nevertheless, I got some cute stuff and saved some money.

VSX Body Wicking Sport Leggings

I love love LOVE VS sport collection, from their sport bras to their high waisted active leggings, which I haven’t seen anywhere else. I have a bunch of just plain black ones, so this bright, neon pink pair caught my eye. I love the graphic logo on the leg and how it is just enough color, not too overwhelming like an all over print.

White Mesh Accent Tee

I love this tee. Simple and silky, it will go with anything. The mesh detailing on the sleeves is also pretty cool, and not like anything you would typically see in VS PINK. Great for all seasons, alone or under a leather jacket, I will be wearing this all the time.

Relax PINK Whipped Body Soufflé

 

Did you know that Victoria’s Secret now owns Bath and Body Works? Well it is clear that they do, based off the great quality of this lotion. It is creamy, soft, and moisturizes the driest of hands. Honestly, I am not much of a body/hand lotion girl, but this is my new favorite thing. It smells amazing, combining jasmine with hints of vanilla, an appealing scent to all.

Relax PINK Body Mist

 

The soufflé impressed me so much, I got the body mist to go with it. Light and pleasant, this will be perfect to use like a perfume or just for a couple sprays after the gym. I love the scent and how it is not overwhelming, but people will notice how nice you smell.

4/3/15- How I Saved My Hair and How I Keep it Healthy

 So yesterday I got my roots touched up and I am finally the very, very light blonde that I have always wanted after around 1 1/2 years color correcting bleach treatments from my old hair.

This is my passport photo, but I had this blood red, Victorious Ariana Grande inspired, hair for almost 3 years. Then I decided I wanted to go back to something close to my natural strawberry blonde hair color. So I bleached all of it in a process of two days. Not the best way to go about it.

Since then, I have payed extra attention and care to my hair, and it is pretty healthy and far from the dried, splitting mess it was when I first bleached it. Here are my holy grail products/ tips. Also, even if you don’t have platinum/color treated hair, these are still products/things you should do because, hair is hair and it needs to be healthy regardless of what you do to it.

#1- USE AS LITTLE HEAT AS POSSIBLE!!!!!

This was a hard one for me to learn. Before bleaching, my hair was semi wavy, but not the cute wavy, so I straightened it almost every day, which resulted in many split ends which worsened when I bleached it. However, once I did bleach it, my hair started to dry straight and not be wavy anymore (funny how that works), so not using heat was easy way for me to save my hair little by little. Regardless of whether you use heat protectant or not, you are damaging your hair every time you use a flat iron or blow dryer. Start cutting down how many time you use heat per week, and you are guaranteed to see better hair.

#2 It’s A 10! Leave In Conditioning Spray

This spray was probably the biggest factor in my hair recovering. My hair was so over processed that it became very porous, meaning that it took forever to dry and was very weak and elastic like. Spraying this and combing it through with a wide tooth comb made my hair stronger every time, not to mention that it smells really good. I still use it every time I wash my hair, and I can still see it working. You can get the spray anywhere, from drugstores to Target.

#3 Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner

Argan Oil is a life saver. It gives hair the nutrients that it needs, and is also a natural heat protectant. Color safe and good for daily use, this is a must have. Argan Oil sprays do help as well, but personally I have found that they make my fine hair look greasy really fast, so I like to use the shampoo and conditioner more. Argan Oil also smells super good too.

#4 Not Washing Hair Everyday and Dry Shampoo

I know this might be hard for some, especially if you are active and workout everyday, but this really makes a difference. I work out everyday, and I wash my hair about every other day, using dry shampoo in between. Over-washing hair strips it of its natural oils, which are needed to seal the cuticle and keep it healthy. Giving hair a break from washing allows the oils to build up and do it’s magic. Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo is my favorite because it works really well and hides greasy roots from even 3-day-old hair. I always get mine from Target, but I have seen it in other stores and even Urban Outfitters.

#5 Waiting Longer Between Hair Appointments/Dye Jobs

Yes your roots might be longer than the Great Wall of China. I’ve been there, done that. Dying your hair as soon as you see a smidgen of roots isn’t going to help it recover. Waiting longer in between appointments will give your hair a rest from the harsh chemicals we all put it through to look good. Honestly, I like having some roots. It gives my hair a ombre look and brings attention to my eyebrows, which match the roots. Yes, they can get out of hand sometimes, but the longer my hair recovers from my last bleaching treatment, the better it is for me in the long run.

3/23/15- Top 5 Eyeliners You Need in Your Life

Ok so I don’t know about you, but I wear winged eyeliner almost daily. Without eyeliner, I honestly don’t know how I would survive. I would probably be a completely different person without it. So, I thought I’d share the best eyeliners I have ever used ever.

#5: NYX Studio Liquid Liner in Extreme Black

Pros: Small Applicator, Deep Pigment, Easy to use, Compact, Doesn’t dry out mid-use

Cons: Slight Irritation (But I also have extremely sensitive skin so take that with a grain of salt) , Long Dry time, Hard to remove.

#4 NYX Liquid Crystal Liner in Crystal Onyx

Pros: Super sparkly without sparkles going all over your face, Small applicator, Deep pigment, Easy to use, Compact, Doesn’t dry out mid-use

Cons: Long Dry time, Hard to remove.

#3 Lancome Art Liner in Cobalt

Pros: Super pigmented color, Easy to use, Glides on perfectly, Stays on all day

Cons: Not enough eyeliner in applicator (you have to keep putting it back in the bottle end to get more)

#2 Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper

Pros: Super pigmented color, Easy to use, Glides on perfectly, Stays on all day

Cons: Applicator brush tends to fray after a lot of use.

#1 Maybelline Master Graphic Liquid Marker Eyeliner

Pros: Super pigmented color, Easy to use, Glides on, Brush angled for perfect wings, Doesn’t dry out mid-use

Cons: Nothing. Absolutely nothing. This is my Holy Grail product and I recommend it to everyone who wants to master the perfect cat eye.

Swatches from #5 to #1 top to bottom (and yes I am ghostly pale and proud) :

–

All photos taken by me (as usual)